Ra'Tal Biography A Brief History
by ca. adam
Summary: Ra'Tal village, hidden away from the large nations of Ivalice. The villagers uphold a passive nature and take in refugees and lost souls... even the traveling souls of sky pirates. A brief biography of Ra'Tal.


**A brief biography of Ra'Tal ||:**

Ra'Tal, which is situated South of Phon Coast and away from civilization, is little known to other inhabitants of Ivalice. These beach-going villagers have been living off the land for centuries, as well as trading with merchants from Phon Coast through a small trading route not known to many. The genealogy of Ra'Tal stretches back for millenia, almost to the beginning of Man. Some of the older living Elders of the village even believe that the ancestry of Ra'Tal is otherworldly, that their ascendants are not of Ivalice and were brought to this world to complete a crucial fate given to them by the gods. Though such speculation and knowledge has slowly become myth over the years, used more for a bedtime fairy tale than history.

The Ra'Tal village lies along a small beachy coast, hidden by a high cliff that stands at eighty feet. The only way to the village from the cliff is down; builders and architects from years past worked with Ra'Tal to create a bridge, stretching out sixty feet to a stone tower that stood equal to the cliff. The builders left their mark on the tower and bridge, carvings decorating the structures and giving the village its aesthetic. Though the tower and bridge themselves are hundreds of years old, now rustic-looking yet still immensely strong. A wide stairway wraps around the tower and leads down to the beach where Ra'Tal waits. A first time visitor might see villagers with cloaks and hooded faces during the day, for the high cliff pushes a strong wind along the coast from the sea, causing clear skies and a bright sun. But as the sun begins to go down and the morning and noon winds cease, Ra'Taleans are unburdened by the violent winds of the cliff and sea, and take off their cloaks and enjoy the calm breeze of the afternoon and evening.

Other visitors sometimes find their way to the village themselves. Usually through word of mouth or through family that has known the village for some years. People sometimes come, seeking a refuge. Ra'Taleans are a pacifist people, wanting no conflict and give their home to those who look for it. It's common to see people with bounties on their head stay in Ra'Tal until they can find their feet again. And then there are others who seek a getaway from the busy pace of Ivalice and look to Ra'Tal as a sort of vacation. The villagers struggle to keep their home from becoming a tourist attraction, urging people to understand that the village is not a secluded vacation area. Either one needs shelter, or you've come to visit family and friends. There is no bed and breakfast special in Ra'Tal.

Many visitors are put off by the limitations Ra'Taleans give those outside of the village. They leave, while others respect the villagers' wishes. "If you want to stay, you must work for the fruits of Ra'Tal." the saying goes. Refugees are encouraged to do a part in the village, and visitors, who plan to come and then leave after a while, are welcome to help with what daily duties there might be available. Visitors can then see how Ra'Taleans live out their lives on the isolated coast.

The village moves at a slow pace; time seems to stop there, not going by the pace of the rest of the world but by its own that it's held on to for so many years. Ra'Tal has upheld many of the ancient traditions and roles that their ancestors had from the beginning. The men are usually hunters who hunt along the beach and coast, while other men are fishers who go out to sea and catch fish and harvest kelp and nori. What men who stay on shore in the village are builders, repairing and building what needs to be available for the villagers. The women tend to the domestic duties; very few of the women desire to hunt or fish with the men, and those who do end up leaving the village to venture out on their own. Many of the women tend to the white adobe huts Ra'Tal is known for, others tend to what foods they can grow and harvest off of the beachy and patchy land around their home.

They also have a small group of female pearl divers who harvest pearls and other precious stones in the deep waters of the Naldoan Sea. They are easily spotted by their white linen mid-thigh trunks and tops which they swim in during the early morning and noon, as well as the colorful scarves they use to wrap their hair with firmly to their head. It's a common sight from the shore to see the pearl divers' covered heads floating in the water. They train and dive deep into the sea before the pearl divers themselves and a small group of men make their way outside of Ra'Tal and sell their undersea harvest every four months, three times a year. Some people are lucky enough to come across the Ra'Taleans pearl divers and their watery treasures, for they go to a different market every time they leave the village to sell their harvest. That's how some curious folk end up visiting the village.

Though not all are attracted to the slow, traditional atmosphere of Ra'Tal. Some see it as a bore, others are put off by the gender roles of the men and women in the village. Others just can't stand how small the village is, only being a little more than one hundred in population. The village has little to zero crime, seeing as very few know of the place's existence. And those who do know about Ra'Tal usually do business with them, or are friends of the village.

Ra'Tal has been recently visited by a partnership of sky pirates, having found the hidden coast as they were searching for a hunt. The two pirates came to really enjoy the peaceful environment, discovering a sense of security with the people there. Over a course of three years the two sky pirates began to visit Ra'Tal frequently, knowing there would always be a place for them to sleep and relax on their journeys, food for them to eat and friends waiting to greet them. But the hearts of pirates weren't necessarily loyal to one place and the two kept leaving and coming back, months passing between visits. The Ra'Taleans grew fond of the two pirates and always were happy to see them when they came back. Despite their choice of occupation, the villagers saw through them and discovered the hearts of gold they hid underneath. However, these sky pirates haven't been seen for a few months, and the villagers of Ra'Tal begin to wonder if maybe the two have grown tired of their simple life.


End file.
